Sexist double standards at the Bank of England.
On "Dress for Success" day at the Bank of England, women were sent the following memo:
"Look professional, not fashionable; be careful with perfume; always wear a heel of some sort -- maximum 2 inches; always wear some sort of makeup -- even if it's just lipstick." Shoes and skirt must be the same color. No-no's include ankle chains -- "professional, but not the one you want to be associated with;" white high heels; overstuffed handbags; an overload of rings, and double-pierced ears."
Wow. These are the supposed progressive, civilized leaders of the free world? I don't know these suggestions sound pretty damn antiquated to me.
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Wow, I'd be offended by that memo. You can certainly argue that any specific dress suggestions like that are offensive, but I don't necessarily think they're wrong to set out guidelines of professional dress. I just think their guidelines are strange.
I don't think there's anything that wrong with suggesting that your clothing should match and not be distracting (ankle chains with business outfits would be odd, for example). But I'd definitely be offended at being told to wear a skirt (slacks aren't allowed?), or to wear makeup, or heels.
I'd love to see the mens memo for comparison.
I don't think a professional dress memo would have been inappropriate if done differently, but saying "Wear matching clothing" or "avoid inappropriate accessories" would go for both genders. I'd like to know if a memo was sent to the men as well!
Also, do you know if this is their general dress code or is it only for a specific day? And is it enforced or just advice?
It was just for one day. It was a special dress up day.
What a seriously weird and very restrictive dress code -- you have to wear heels, but only up to 2 inches? And skirt and heels must match? I guess that's their way of keeping you from wearing any fun colored skirts.
One of my friends who worked at a tanning salon once told me that their male boss required them to wear makeup to work.. That shit just pissed me off. She didn't seem to understand why I thought that was offensive.. I mean.. women can't just have their natural faces at work whenever they want?
But what am I to do if I have a white skirt to wear?! My shoes must match but they specifically said white heels are a no no...
These aren't just offensive, they seem downright ridiculous.
You're not allowed to wear flats...ever?
And you can never wear an ankle chain. What if you wear pants and so therefore the aforementioned hideous ankle chain cannot be see by your co-workers? Is it then allowable? Or are pants on ladies another no no?
And overstuffed handbags! Tsk, tsk! How dare you women try to actually bring stuff with you to work. Don't you know all you need with you on the job is a compact in order to freshen up your mandatory make-up?
I wonder if they were forced to keep their seems straight too.
Saw this story a couple of days ago. Someone at the F-Word got this response from the Bank Of England which suggests that sisters were doing it for themselves...
"Can I state categorically that media stories about a Bank of England dress code or advice about dress for women are wholly inaccurate and misleading. The Bank has issued no such advice, nor is there a memo from the Bank on the issue.
The facts are that an informal lunchtime gathering was organised by a women's staff group at which an external company presented their ideas about building confidence. The session was provided free and had nothing to do with the Bank's management. A list of ideas about dress was circulated by the consultant. Most Bank staff will not have seen this and those that have are free to treat it as they wish. Some members of our staff might hold views similar to your own. Like many organisations, the Bank simply requires staff to wear smart business attire.
I hope that this clarifies the situation following the unfortunate media reporting of this matter.
With kind regards
Malcolm Shemmonds
Public Information & Enquiries Group"
Hush now... We wouldn't want the facts to get in the way of a good rant.
Don't worry, there are still a whole heap o' reasons to rant...
Thank goodness!
there is a double standard already built in regarding women's wear, at least where i work. Women in court constantly wear clothes that can hardly be considered profession (flowerly dress, tank tops under their suit jackets). men cannot get away with anything but suits
and women like me, who show up to court in a suit like proper attorneys, silently judge them. and i've noticed a marked difference in attire between state and federal courts. i don't personally think there's anything wrong with a sleeveless top worn underneath a suit jacket--after all, no one should be the wiser given that you've got the jacket on in the first place, but i see how it's not really fair to dudes to have such few clothing options be considered professional. all i can offer in condolence is having externed in the summer for a federal judge older than dirt who was very picky about the women in his chambers wearing skirt suits instead of pants and let me tell you, wearing pantyhose on the hottest day of the year is no picnic. i'd actually like to see pantyhose completely abolished as standard professional dress. they are uncomfortable, they look weird and you ALWAYS get a snag in them when you're going to a super important hearing.
Seconded on the issue of contempt for ladies who show up to court in floral prints or sun dresses. While more appropriate than, say, shorts, not exactly showing respect to the judicial process.
I loathe the judges who require skirt suits. I never understood how an outfit that show so much leg is more formal than one that doesn't. Besides, not having to wear pantyhose all day is aaaawesome.
Funny you mention pantyhose. I'm a Floridian, and the places I've worked pantyhose are a non-issue, so I'm always surprized to be reminded that they're professional attire elsewhere. It's assumed that you'd have to be crazy to wear them in 99 degree weather. I guess they'd rather have us smell good.
Several years ago at a law and motion session while waiting for my case to be called, an attorney who was female appeared in the most HIDEOUS outfit, not appropriate for cleaning out your garage, let alone in court. We're talking tight, purple polyester stretch pants, an ill-fitting polyester purple and white patterned top, and clunky earrings. She knew her stuff, though, She was knowledgeably arguing some complex tax-related issue, the (male) judge was listening and asking her complex questions, and she won her motion.
Meanwhile, in my office, males who wore shirts any color by white or near-white always drew frowns. I once wore an azure-colored shirt and the name partner kindly took me aside and shared with me where he went to buy his shirts!
oh god, the things i have seen people wear to court! thankfully polyester stretch pants have yet to make an appearance, but i was once utterly transfixed by a woman who had a weave with no less than three different colors of (fake) hair in it, two of them not found in nature, an ill-fitting tweed skirt suit with an untucked silky tank top thing, no stockings, and the crowning glory--a pair of houndstooth flats in a bold and completely unmatching pattern from her suit. it was like a blind kindergartener dressed her. at least it was a suit, but the whole package was frankly distracting.
So, her clothing choices were more important than her legal arguments?
Sounds kinda petty to me!
The best lawyer I ever had used to wear sweatpants, sneakers and a t shirt to court - she was a workers comp lawyer, almost all of her clients were injured construction workers like me, and she did right be me and made my employers compensate me for a badly broken ankle that kept me from working for 6 months.
I really didn't give a good God damn about her outfit, or the fact that she dyed her hair blonde, or the fact that she was a woman of size - all I wanted was a good lawyer who would represent me in my time of need, and she totally delivered on that.
It was a court case that was life and death for me - not a damned fashion show!!!!!
I'm sure that the men's memo was the same as any other recommendation of clothing for men.
Suit.
It doesn't matter where or what you're doing, men are always told to wear suits. I can't tell you how boring it is.
Business? Wear a suit.
Luncheon? Wear a suit.
Going out to dinner? Wear a suit.
Wedding? Wear a suit.
Wedding at night? Make sure it's a dark suit.
Funeral? Wear a suit.
If you've ever seen a men's fashion show, whenever it comes to suits, it can get pretty boring. Don't get me wrong, there can be some really cool suits, but they often aren't practical.
Long story short, the men probably got a memo, but I can bet that it wasn't interesting.
Er... Rant about fashion over?
P.S: I know this post has nothing to do with feminism, prima facie, but I could go on a rant about the restrictions of men's clothing instated simply because of what is and what is not "socially acceptable".
P.P.S: I don't understand the skirt thing (not much of it really, but this one baffles me). I imagine the UK gets pretty cold during the winter and you would think that a suit would not only be acceptable but expected because of the practicality.
Repeat the argument for wearing heels.
Whoops, that was supposed to be a reply to MissKitty's statement.
Blergh
You forgot to mention,
"Hottest day of the year? Wear a suit."
I would love to wear shorts on days when women are allowed to wear skirts (I would try a kilt too, if it was allowed). Definitely an example of Patriarchy Hurts Men Too. I was heartened to hear that Obama is running a looser ship than Bush, for instance having shirtsleeve meetings. Bush was known for reading the riot act to people who dared to enter his presence wearing khakis. Laws on torture can be ignored, but wearing a tie around the president? That's a rule that's really important.
All of these ridiculous classist dress codes should have been left in the 19th century where they belong.
I work as a Structural Engineer and my typical work attire is a nicely cut pair of denim jeans, a button down shirt of the type that is not tucked in and leather shoes. On dress down Fridays I wear a t-shirt. Find a more chilled out employer/profession if you don't like being required to wear a suit all the time.
Looking around my working environment this is mid-range for 'smartness', with a lot of the women wearing a similar level of clothing.
I'm glad I'm a carpenter - my "dress code" is jeans, a t shirt and work shoes in late spring, summer and early fall, a sweatshirt, t shirt, jeans, a work coat and work shoes in late fall and early spring and a sweatshirt, a long sleeved t shirt, a short sleeved t shirt, jeans, sweatpants under the jeans, a big plaid workshirt (worn over the sweatshirt as a sort of jacket), a heavy workcoat and work shoes in the winter.
That was one thing I HATED about white collar work - having to wear a suit and tie every day - that's why I love the blue collar world and the simple 'every day is casual friday' dress code!
Incidentally, women carpenters have the exact same "dress code" us guys do. Totally unisex, totally equal.
Have these people never seen an episode of What Not To Wear? These rules are ridiculous! Your skirt and shoes shouldn't have to match, just go. White high heels? I'm not sure about the practicality of those, but who cares about the whole stupid labor day rule anyway? And if your shoes have to be a heel but a heel under 2 inches, that doesn't leave a lot of room.
If I knew someone who worked there, I'd encourage them to wear an anklet, ten rings, grey pants, white flats, a huge bag, lots of perfume, and no makeup :D The sad thing is that breaking all of those rules could still be professional.
What bugs me (in addition to the aforementioned) is that whoever wrote the memo thought to be "professional" enough to do a dress code, but not professional enough to keep the inane joke out of it. I'm thinking the idea to write the thing in the first place came from the "joke."
Shoes and skirt must be the same color??? *faints* That's so . . . unfortunate.
I can't believe the elephant in the room hasn't been mentioned yet.
'No-no's include ankle chains -- "professional, but not the one you want to be associated with;"'
How dare they tell women working at the Bank of England that wearing ankle chains makes them look like prostitutes. There's a difference between upholding a reasonable dress code, and this kind of offensive sexist innuendo. This combined with the requirement to wear makeup clearly shows that this is sexual discrimination.
Silver Hands, I agree w/ your analysis about sexism. Yet, I should point out that in England ankle chains are the semiotic equivalent of garters and stockings or maybe lower back tattoos anymore (none of it makes any sense). My cousin was horrified to see her then 19 yr old cousin from the US sporting the mark of a prostitute on her ankle. Yet, she didn't mention it to me until I expressed surprise at her stockings and garters as we dressed for a night out. Clearly, the differences between cultural ideas about unseemly attire show that bizarre clothing standards all add up to patriarchal control mechanisms.
I guess this turned out not to be an actual dress code after all, but I just wanted to say that I personally find almost all dress codes offensive. Unless it has to do with health and safety, as some do, I simply do not understand why it matters. I mean, does anyone really care if the person who handles your bank transaction or bags your groceries is wearing shows that match their pants? Do you somehow lose out if the person who files your taxes wears a miniskirt and stilleto heels with -gasp- an anklet while they do it? Telling people how to dress has always seemed like nothing more than a power trip to me.
i dunno. i live in phoenix, and the joke in arizona is that people here would wear flip-flops to a funeral. i don't like working under a dress code that TELLS me what to wear, but i wish people would VOLUNTARILY dress better in a lot of occasions. i'm pretty concerned about maintaining my image to my students, and i make an effort to dress professionally on the days i teach. is my teaching any better because i'm wearing a skirt and pumps rather than jeans and sneakers? no. but it helps me project an image of professionalism and conveys respect. (don't even get me started on the shorts with the words on the ass.) and it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive....it's definitely possible to look nice and be comfortable; it just takes thought and careful shopping. i feel that slovenly or overly sexualized dress in a work setting conveys disrespect and thoughtlessness, and it's the sort of thing that leads employers to institute dress codes in the first place.
I simply fail to see how someone choosing one shirt or pair of shoes over another conveys any respect or lack of respect for me or anyone else. When I put clothes on, I do not and will not think about whether someone else thinks it's respectful to them... it's not about them. It's about me and what I want to wear, and as long as it doesn't put anyone in danger, I don't see how it's anyone else's business.
For the record, I wore black ballet slippers, a white button shirt and black pajama pants to my grandmothers funeral. What I wore that day seemed so, so unimportant compared to what we were all there for.
well, for example, at my university, we have big end-of-the-semester presentations (not quite thesis-big, but big). all of us bust our asses in the days before, and i usually finish at some ungodly hour the morning it's due.
but i always, no matter how tired i am, go home, shower, style my hair, dress in something at least semi-formal but also seasonally appropriate, and do my makeup. i figure that i didn't just kill myself for weeks trying to present something and then blow it at the end by not (1) considering that some strangers are going to be looking at me for at least an hour, and would appreciate a better view than my threadbare PJ pants, and (2) putting forth the impression that i don't take pride in the presentation of myself and my work by, well, not taking pride in the presentation of myself. it's about care for others....i appreciate it when others show me that they care about what i think, so i do the same.
it's not about destroying one's soul or self. i wear my "architects are responsible for layouts and erections" shirt on my off days. :)
baddesignhurts, your anecdote about going to all that trouble just to look "good" (whatever the fuck that means) after a long grueling night of work actually sounds like an argument for NOT forcing people to dress up when they don't want to. Me, I'd rather be awake and well-rested and able to focus on my presentation than looking appropriately feminine and done up in clothing and makeup that I cannot fucking afford, and having lost precious sleep in the process. Not to mention, makeup makes me feel uncomfortable and gooey, I've never found a professional skirt that feels right or comfortable to me, and having to dress like that makes me less able to do my tasks because it's uncomfortable, it's not how I like to dress, and it draws attention to my status as an object in this world, and makes me feel like I'm on display in an art gallery rather than actually DOING something.
I mean, if dressing up works for you, that's great, but it's utter bullshit that you expect others to show their respect for you by looking a certain way. It just makes no sense -- if you really respected a person, you'd respect the fact that perhaps they have less money than you for fancy shit, perhaps they're just not comfortable in clothing that's considered appropriate for their gender (ie trans people), perhaps they're allergic to makeup or are concerned about carcinogens in makeup, perhaps they didn't have the time to get dressed up, maybe somebody in their family just died and they couldn't be arsed, maybe they don't like the unwanted attention they get when they dress up, etc. (As a rape survivor, the unwanted attention thing is especially an issue for me -- I used to dress all cutesy and nice, but now I just try to dress so as not to draw attention to myself, not because I honestly believe clothing causes rape, but because it does seem to make more men look at and comment on me, which makes me want to shoot myself in the face because now I know it is damn well not a compliment, and catching a stranger's eye is very, very threatening to me.) I mean, who are you to decide how a person should dress? I'm not going to treat you like you're uppity and think you're better than me for how you dress, but it makes me really sad that you'd apparently think less of me for something that has shit-all to do with you, that really has no effect at all on how you live your life and in fact has a very real effect on MY life.
And quite frankly, when I'm watching presentations, I pay attention to what the person is SAYING. That's how people show me that they know their shit and how they gain my respect, not by adhering to some made-up dress code that says shit all about who I am as a person and that changes from culture to culture and situation to situation. Like Ayla says, I don't give a crap what my tax preparer is wearing, just as long as s/he gets me a good return. If my tax preparer is, in fact, wearing pajamas when they do my taxes and I get more money back than I've ever gotten, why should I care that they're wearing pajamas? How, in the end, has that negatively affected me when they've done a stellar job? And seriously, "just because" and "it just looks better" and "I have the money and time to get dressed up therefore everyone else should" are not reasons. They're subjective opinions. I want something totally objective and measurable. I want proof that if I get less money from a dressed up tax preparer than I did from my tax person in pajamas, that I've somehow gotten a better deal simply due to the fact that the person who got me less money was dressed up.
Also, I've worked with low-income and homeless people, and it's really sad to see how half the time even if they're qualified for a job they can't get it just because some classist assclown thinks they need to dress a certain way in the interview and on the job, and most shelters and other places that give out free clothing simply cannot meet the need for professional clothing; I've seen those free closets, and there is next to nothing in most of them. It also intimidates a lot of people who think "I could never be like that" because they've never had the money to buy nice, matching professional clothing. Like Ayla said, judging people based on their clothing is nothing but a big fucking power trip. It takes a damned lot of privilege to think that everyone can and should dress a certain way.
Wow! Thank you. You put everything that I was thinking into words and then some!
i don't think everyone ***should*** look a specific certain way. i said i wish more people would dress nicely of their own volition, and consider that other people are looking at them, just like i look at others, and put consideration into their appearance. if you DON'T give a shit what other people think of you and you dress "only for yourself", whatever that means, then wear whatever the fuck you want.
however, most people DO care what other people think of them....their friends and family, their coworkers and bosses, students and clients, and so on. i absolutely care. and so i work hard, know my shit, AND try to dress nicely. by nicely, i mean clean, ironed, not overly revealing/suggestive (i still hate the shorts with the words on the ass), and of some formality when the occasion calls for it.
nowhere did i say that it's necessary to spend a lot of money (shit, i buy almost everything i own off sale racks and in secondhand stores), nowhere did i say everyone should dress in a uniform style. nowhere did i say that how people look is more important than what they can do or what they know. nowhere did i say people should wear clothing they aren't comfortable with or that are gender-specific. i said it shows respect for other people when you consider your appearance. it's not a deal-breaker, fer chrissakes.
So, it doesn't seem awfully sexist that you as a woman architect are expected to be dressed to the 9's for your presentation - and the men judging you care more about your choice of outfit than the work you did?
Not to be ragging on you in any way at all, but I think it's really sad that you embrace that mentality - because I would bet that your male classmates were NOT expected to have the same level of fashion consciousness as you were!
When I teach (college calculus) I just wear whatever I would have been wearing to school that day. If its hot I'll wear a tank top and a skirt. I've never had any issues with students not respecting me-- I know the math and that's what counts.
But if I were teaching at a high school I'd probably make more of an effort-- only to appease the administration, not the students.
I worked in an office of mostly professional staff for fifteen years that had no dress code, but I wore a suit and tie every day because it always helped to make me feel psyched and ready to do "battle". And there is no question, either in my own mind or in the opinions of my colleagues, that I seemed to be treated much more deferentially and respectfully by both my colleagues and management compared with my more casually dressed colleagues. I have no doubt my wearing the uniform was a factor.
That mentality is why I gave up my dream of being a shop teacher - it didn't matter that I did a good job of explaining the material to the students, and was the only staffer willing to jump in and break up fights among the students - it WAS a huge deal that I used to teach in a t shirt, jeans and workshoes!!!
So, not wanting to deal with the whole 'work-as-fashion-show' bullshit mentality, I went back to construction, where the "dress code" is t shirt and jeans, and where nobody gives a damn what you wear, they just want you to work hard to the best of your ability and get the job done properly the first time!
Are double-pierced ears actually still looked down upon? I mean, I could see objections to facial piercings (although I still think that's ridiculous), but having more than one earring per ear? I thought people got over that in like the nineties.
No-no's include ankle chains -- "professional, but not the one you want to be associated with;"
Yes, because you certainly wouldn't want to be thought of us a woman who enjoys sex, or a woman who wants to make money from it. Women should feel deeply ashamed of being sexual in anyway shape or form. But keep in mind, you don't want to look like an old maid, girls. Bit of make up and heels, to please the lads.
*rolls eyes*
I'm reminding people to scroll up and read the comment that mentions the statement not originating with BoE management.
Also, even before knowing that, this statement seemed heavily reactionary to bank tellers coming in dressed in heavy goth, which I think is inappropriate.
Undine - suits? Men's clothing is about hierarchy. Women's clothing is about both hierarchy, if you're working, and sex, if you aren't. Under patriarchy, that's how it works - if you have a job as a woman, the only way they can cope with it is if they can see you as a man - but in a skirt and makeup - not a real man,yunno.
I worked at a company that had special dress rules for "dressdown fridays". Which included
No: jeans, hoodies, slogans on t-shirts, trainers, too much exposed flesh (not specified, but skirts above the knee, or tummies would do it.
I actually got summoned for a formal telling off once for wearing very short cyan shorts - someone's brain probably exploded at seeing legs that went on and on .......
after that I always wore a suit on dressdown fridays.
Wow, that makes me...angry. Perhaps its the weirdly specific level of detail, like the author of the dress code is describing some aunt they found tacky and overbearing as a child.
Is it just me or is it quite heavily reminiscent of those old 1950s hygiene/personal appearance PSAs - "This is Jane. Jane is always late, and so she runs, allowing her womanly assets to bounce in an most uncomely way. Her socks are not pulled up, her hair has not been shellaced into place, and she is reading her book instead of using it a flirting tool. Jane will never get married at this rate."
This concerns me in particular because I start work in an office next week after freelancing in my pyjamas for two weeks, and I don't even own a handbag, heels or lipstick. I do own eyeliner and a treasured set of business suits with leather flats, but apparently it might be perceived as somehow desirable for me to tend my appearance towards the "air stewardess from the 30s" look.
Deeply unimpressed.
Two years, sorry.
This annoys me. I especially detest how misogyny can be so rampant in the UK and yet people my age (18) are forever denying fervently that they are feminists and that there is any sort of sexism still apparent in England today.
That said, my place of work (the women's shoes department at a department store...I would prefer something more intellectually stimulating and that doesn't go against my hatred of materialism, but hey, I'm a student, the economy is in tatters, and I need some cash to get by on...) asks women to wear make-up and have their hair styled neatly. I wear mascara and lip gloss if I feel like it, often not, but my hair is long, blonde, thick and incredibly wavy and I refuse to damage my hair by straightening it for a hour each morning just for the purpose of looking 'neat'. At least we aren't forced to wear skirts though. As much as I love skirts, I will wear them at my own discretion, and not at work. As it men act like I'm entertainment for them while their female significant others browse; 'hey look, a young nubile blonde girl, let me stare at her breasts while I park my arse here'...yeah, it would be worse if I had to wear skirts...
I enjoy shocking them by engaging them or their s.o's in conversation about the economy, or deducting strange percentages (13% off £75.00...why?) in my head instead of grabbing a calculator when they ask how much an item now is. It's fun.
Sorry. Rant over. It completely distracts from the fact that the women are there to do their job. Which is finance. Not looking good. They're obviously intelligent women, so why can't they show that through choosing how to dress themselves and whether or not they choose to slather themselves in gunk. Grrrrr.
Sorry, it's been a long day and I have the urge to babble incoherently.
Does your hair being "neat" really mean it has to be straightened? If its an issue couldn't you just put it up in a bun or ponytail?
All the other girls straighten theirs and have immaculate hair, as do the women in our 'guides' on how to dress...I kind of refuse to pander to 'the rules' when it's to do with how I should look. And yes, I could, but that would be letting them win :P
My husband's job asked for neatly styled hair ... it meant he wore it in a pony tail. I can see a problem with the makeup, but not neat hair.
I just realized you said your job's guide has pictures in it. Funky.
This just reminded me....I once had a friend from Australia who was of mixed south Asian descent but looked either African or aboriginal. When we were studying abroad in Europe, she got her hair done in braids with extensions because apparently in Australia she would never be able to do that and get a job; it's looked upon the same way as lots of facial piercings are in the US, particularly when black women do it, which is absurd considering the racial implications. Even though this memo apparently isn't from BoE's management, I like how it's provoked this discussion. I've also always been really interested in the racial implications of dress codes, because even when it's not explicitly stated, a lot of dress codes seem to have a disproportionate impact on women of color, particularly African American women when it comes to hair expectations.
I'm glad the Bank management did not really send this note out, (as already mentioned above).
It would be very simply to do a formal dress code without being offensive. My husband's dress code for both male and female servers:
Employees are expected to maintain high standards of personal hygiene and present a neat, professional appearance at all times. Casual clothes, such as jeans and t-shirts, are not allowed. No perfume or cologne (we have staff that suffer from allergies); no sneakers, always shoes; no visible tattoos or excessive adornments; long hair is always tied back for both men and women.
I bet the Bank of England would be amused to hear that they're the "supposed progressive, civilized leaders of the free world?"
I bet the Bank of England would be amused to hear that they're the "supposed progressive, civilized leaders of the free world"